Vehicle-buffer.



J. V. ROWAN. VEHICLE BUFFER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 16, 1912. I 1,071,586, Patented Aug126, 1913.

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Snow 1430's WWW I QZ/zm/Uimmm J. V. ROWAN.

VEHICLE BUFFER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 16, 1912.

1,6??1 55%. Patented Aug. 26, 1913.

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Joan v. ROWAN, or ron'ris'rnvnns, o ms'on.

VEHICLE-BUFFER.

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that l, JomcV, Rowamja citizen of the United States, residing at Fort.

Stevens, in the county of Clatsop and State of Oregon, have invented new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-Buffers, of which the following is a specification;

This invention relates to vehicle buffers, and -while the invention is especially designed for use upon automobiles, it will be apparent,as the description proceeds, that the invention may be applied to other forms of vehicles, according to necessity.

The object of the invention is to provide an effective buffer or shock absorber for the front of a vehicle, such as an automobile, so that the impact orblow received in a headon collision will be absorbed, without resulting in serious damage to the vehicle, the shock being taken up with progressively increasing resistance, as will be hereinafter set forth.

WVith the above and other objects in view, the invention ponsists in the construction, combination and arrangcn'ient of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described,

illustrated in the accompanying drawings,-

and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of the forward part of an automobile, illustrating the present invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is aside elevation of the same. thereof. Fig, 4 is 'an'enlarged longitudinal section through one of the buffer cylinders. Fig. 5 is a cross section through the same.

In order to illustrate the application of the present invention to an automobile, I have illustrated in the drawings the front portion of an automobile structure, embodying the engine hood 1, radiator 2, steering wheels 3, front axle 4:, and reach 5, which in an automobile consists of the dr ving shaft tube. I

In carrying out the present-invention, in the preferred embodiment thereof, I employ a pair of cylinders 6 arranged at opposite sides of the engine, as shown for exam-. ple in Fig. 1, the said cylinders being set at a downward inclination from front to rear, as shown in Fig.9, so that the blow will be imparted in a backward, and at the same time, a downward direction, whereby the resilient tires of the. front wheels will stand a good portion of the shock and assist materially in absorbing the same.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation The cylinders ,6 are braced at their rear ends by the front axle 4, and a convenient.

' embrace the axle 4, as shown in Fig. 1,.while Patented Aug. 26, 913. lpplication as ath 16, 1912 Seriat 684,185. I

from said slecves'Z, rearwardly converging thrusttransmission braces 8 extend to a commoncentral collar 9 which fits upon the centrally arranged drive shaft-5 hereinabove referredto. The cylinders, are. designed to be filled with oil or anys uitablef liquid which Wlll effectively resist the move-'- ment of the pistons mounted therein, and in order to equalize the inovement; of the liquid an equalizing passage connects the rear ends of said cylinders,- said equalizing passage being shown'j for convenience, in the form of a pipe 10.

Arranged in each of the-cylinders is a piston 1 having a rod 12 extending forward and con ecting to one side of an impact head 13. Each of said piston rods is surrounded by a spiral compression spring 14 which, after the blow, restores the impact head to its forward position ready for use. The impact head 13, as shown in Fig. 3 in the preferred embodiment of the invention, comprises" a central section or plate 15 and two side plates or sections 16-connected to the central sectionby central and relatively large connector bars 17', and at or near the top and bottom by smaller connector bars 18. It will be understood, however,

that the form andconstruction of the improvided with one or more resistance ducts 19, each of which is larger at the outer or forward end of the cylinder and smaller at the in'ner 'or rear end thereof, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. It is also preferred to slightly incline the floor of said resistance duct, making the same deeper at the front.

and shallower at the rear. The object in making the resistance duct in the way just described is to provide for progressively increasing resistance in the passage of the oil 7 or other liquid from the rear toward the front of the cylinder, as the piston is thrust backward therein, By further reference to Fig. 4, it will be noted that'the resistanceduct is sinuous in shape, the obj ect of which is to cause still greater resistance to the passage of the oil or other liquid lengthwise of said duct, on account of the liquid coming into contact with the deflected edges of the duct, which operates in a measure to check the flow of the liquid and thereby gradually -vertical 1y ed gewlse.

and progressively increase the retardation of the. piston, as it moves rearwardly in the cylinder. It will also he observed by refervueeto Fig. 2 that the piston rods 12 are in- (:hned upwardly toward their forward ends, I

thrust is imparted tto'the tires, and a good 1 portion of the shock is thus transn'iitted to and absorbed by the pneumatic tires on the front. or steering wheels of the automobile.

What is claimed is:

I 1. A buffer for vehicles, comprising a liquid-containing cylinder braced directly against the front axle of the vehicle and 'inclining upward and forward therefrom, a piston working in said cylinder and adapted to displace the liquid, ,and an impact head eonnectedto the piston, the parts being comabi'ned and arranged to' exert a downward thrust on said axle when in action.

2. A buffer for vehicles, c0mprising two liquid containing cylinders arranged at opposite sides of the center line of dr'aft, a

combined V-shaped brace and guide frame connecting said cylinders at the rear and engaging the axle and reach of the vehicle,.

pistons working in said cylinders and adapted to' displace the liquid, and an impact head connected to the piston rods at.

their forward ends. 7

In testimony whereof atlix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN V. ROWAN.

Witnesses:

P. J. GLANZ, ADOLPH ZAMRSKY. 

